Portable sign frame



Aug. 6 1935. Q U

PORTABLE. SIGN FRAME Filed Jan. 20, 1952 2 Sheets-Sheet l (Ear/es IZZw/E Aug. 6, 1935) H L H 2,010,404

PORTABLE SIGN FRAME 7 Filed Jan. 20, 1952 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 J K (Ear/619E lusfi Patented Aug. 6, 1935 PATENT OFFICE PORTABLE SIGN FRAME Charles H. Lush,

Eivcrhead, N Y- Application January llll, 1932, Serial No. 587,815

10 Claimsbe cheaply manufactured and one having a minimum number of parts.

It is a further object of the invention to provide a portable sign frame constructed in a manher to permit the maintaining of the frame in upright position while readily allowing the insertion and Withdrawal of the sign plate from the frame.

With these and other objects and purposes which will be in part obvious and in part pointed out hereinafter, the invention consists in the con struction, arrangement and combination of the various parts of my apparatus, whereby the ob- Jects contemplated are attained as hereinafter more fully and particularly set forth, pointed out in the claims and illustrated in the accompanying drawings, in which A Fig. 1 is a perspective view of the new and im proved portable sign frame, Fig. 2 is a view partly in cross section disclosing the manner in which the bottom member is cut away or grooved to permit the insertion of the sign,

Fig. 3 is a perspective view of the base plates,

Fig. 4 is a perspective view of the legs of the frame and the plate for maintaining the sign within the frame,

Fig. 5 is an end view of the portable frame,

Fig. 6 is a modified form of the device,

Fig. 7 is a partial elevational view of one of the legs used in the modified form,

Fig. 8 is a plan view partly in ther modified form,

Fig. 9 is a view taken on line 99 of Fig. 8,

Fig. 10 is a partial section taken on line l0"ll'l section of a furof Fig. 8.

' Fig. H is a partial perspective view of one of the supporting members and the base member,

and

I Fig. 12 is a partial perspective view of the bracket and the side member attached thereto.

Referring to the drawings, in which like refer members H and i2 and a channeled top member l3. The base portion of the frame indicated at I4 is cut away or grooved at l5 to allow for the insertion of the sign 16.

The frame is disclosed as being stamped from a single sheet of metal or the like, although it is to be understood that the top, sides and bottom members can be separate and welded or otherwise secured together.

This frame is to be used in what is commonly called a side-walk sign and so there is provided supporting members I! for maintaining the frame in an upright position while being displayed. The supporting members or legs 17 are made from steel stampings in the form of a channel as illustrated in Figure 4 of the drawings, and have their ends which contact with the ground or the like, bevelled as at 18.

For securing the legs I! to the frame Hi there is provided base or supporting plates I 9 which are welded or otherwise secured to the frame. The base plates serve also to form a brace for the sign. The base plates i9 have depending flanges 20 through which rivets or bolts M are adapted to pass for retaining the leg members l1.

Figure 3 clearly illustrates the construction of the base plates. It will be noted that these plates are channelled at 22 to fit the contour of the side members II and I2 and have flanges 23 and 24 to which the bottom portion I4 is welded.

For retaining the sign within the frame and also forming an additional support for the leg members l1, there is provided a channel member 25 having slots 26 therein. The channel member 25 is secured to the legs I! in the following manner. The channel member 2! placed within one of the channel legs i1 and the bolt or rivet 2| is passed through the base plate I9 and through the slots 26 of the channel member 25. Thisis accomplished when the legs are in the position illustrated in dotted lines in Figure 5. When the legs are positioned as illustrated in full lines in Figure 5, the member 25 slides forward the extent of the slot and the notches 21 slide over the bolt or rivet of the opposing leg. Should it be necessary, a screw-driver or some round pointed piece of metal may be used to force the notches in place over the belt or rivet. When the member 25 is in position the legs are automatically locked and the sign inserted in the frame is firmly retained in position since the channel insert members 25 close each end of the frame that has been cut out.

Referring to Figure 6 there is disclosed a modified form in which the channel insert member 25 is dispensed with. In this form the side members H and 82 are provided with spring catches 28 which are engaged by specially constructed ends of the leg members 29. As illustrated in Figure '7, the leg members 29 are cut out at their hinged ends, as shown at 39, the object of which is to close the opening at the bottom of the frame, thereby holding the sign plate within the frame. It will be noted that as each leg member is swung down into its normal position, the end 39 will engage; with the spring catches 28 in a manner to hold the sign plate within the frame. In other words, the cut-out portions of each leg member will be opposed, thereby providing sufilcient area upon which the sign plate may restto securely maintain the sign within the frame.

It is to be understood that the frames are completely assembled at the factory and are shipped with the legs elevated, as indicated by the dotted lines in Figure 5 of the drawings. It is' merely necessary for the purchaser to insert the sign plate within the frame and force the legs downwardly into their normal position and lock them as described. The advantage of this feature is readily apparent.

' Referring to the construction illustrated in Figures 8to 12 inclusive there is illustrated a construction in which the base portion of the frame constitutes two separate bars welded to the supporting members. The numeral ifia indicates one of the sides of the frame. Welded or otherwise secured to the side idea is a bracket iii to which the legs or supporting members i'ia are pivoted bymeans of bolts or rivets 29a. As above indicated, the base portion of the frame is made up of two bars 32 and 33. The bar 32 is welded at the inner ends of twocf thelegs and the bar 33 is welded at the ends of the other two legs. This forms a pair of Li -shaped bottom frames which when in their closed position bring the two bars together. toform retaining means for the sign, which, as in the. preferred form illustrated in Figure 1 of the drawings, is positioned in the channel portions within the sides and top of the frame. The same locking means as illustrated in the preferred form is utilized in this modified construction. This locking means is indicated generally at 34 in the drawings. Reinforcing members 35 are also welded to the legs and to the bars 32 and 33.

As inthe preferred form, it is to be understood that these -frames are completely assembled at the factory. It is merely necessary for the purchaser to insert the sign in the channels within the sides and top of the frame. The legs are then forced downwardly and since the base portions and legs are integrai, when the sign is in its set up position, the base bars will come together,

thereby firmly retaining the sign within the frame. The legs are then looked in the manner 1 described in the preferred form. This construc tion permits the purchaser to set up and display a signrapidly and with a minimum amount of effort and time expended.

Various changes may be made in the construction and arrangement of the invention above set forth without departing from the real spirit and purpose thereof, and it is the intention to cover by the following claims all modified forms of structure or use of mechanical equivalence which may be reasonably included within their scope.

I claim:-

1. A portable sign frame comprising channeled top and side members for receiving a sign, a bracket secured to each of said side members and supporting means pivotally secured to each side of said bracket members and retaining the sign within said frame.

2. A portable sign frame for receiving a sign plate comprising channeled top and side members, a groove-d base member, base plates sedured to the side and base members, channeled shaped legs secured to said base plates and a channeled shaped member secured within said legs for looking the same and retaining the sign plate within the frame.

3. A portable sign frame for receiving a sign plate comprising channeled top and side members, base plates secured to said side members and a pair of U-shaped supporting frames secured to said base plates assistingin retaining the sign within said frame.

4. A portable sign frame for receiving a sign plate comprising channeled top and side members, base plates secured to the side members and channeled-shaped leg members hinged to said base plates having a pair of base members forming the bottom of the frame secured thereto. 7

5. A portable sign frame for receiving a sign plate comprising channeled top and side members, base plates secured to the side members, channeled-shaped leg members hinged to said base plates, a pair of bars secured to said leg members forming the bottom of the frame and means for locking said leg members.

6. A sign frame comprising top and side members, means upon said top and side members for retaining a sign in alignment with said top and side members and pivoted means connected to said side members and folding upon each side thereof for supporting the sign frame and for 1 retainlng the sign within said frame.

'7. A portable sign frame for receiving a sign plate comprising top and side members, leg mem-i bers hingedly supported from said side members and members forming the bottom of the frame secured to said leg members.

8. A portable sign frame for receiving a sign plate comprising top and side members, leg members hingedly supported from said side members, members forming the bottom of the frame-se cured to said leg members and means for locking said leg members in frame supporting position.

9. A portable sign frame for receiving a sign plate comprising top and side members, leg members hingedly supported from said side members, members forming the bottom of the frame secured to said leg members and sliding means for locking said leg members in frame supporting position.

' 10. A portable sign frame comprising top and side'members for receiving a sign, a plate secured to each side member and supporting means for said sign frame hingedly secured to said plates upon each side of said side members so that when. r

in collapsed position said supporting means can fold against each side of said side members and means for retaining a sign in said frame.

CHARLES H. LUSH. 

